A blog about responding to poverty and injustice, everyday and in all sorts of ways

Archive for the category “Videos”

We all know the importance of education but did you know that the success of a child’s education begins before they’re even born? Watch this 4 minute video to find out why those early childhood years are so important and how we can all be part of the solution:

Interested in learning more? Read this article by Bernadette Moffat, delivered at the launch of the Child Institute’s Child Gauge 2013. We also thought the statistics in this Times Live article were pretty eye-opening – 58% of children under the age of nine live below the poverty line!

Have you read any interesting/informative articles on ECD lately? What are your thoughts?

P.S. Email us for more on how you can get involved in addressing this issue through Common Good.

After just three days of living under the line, many of us have a new perspective of what it means to live below the poverty line in South Africa. In our Live Under the Line feedback clip, three Common Grounders share how their hearts have been freshly stirred by this campaign.

If your heart has also been freshly stirred, download our plugin sheet and our September calendar to find out more about the various ways that you can get involved in the restoration of our city.

P.S. For more Live Under the Line feedback stories read these blog posts here.

We would all like to believe that if we saw someone in need on the street we would be quick to help them, right? After all, aren’t we supposed to love our neighbour? But watch what really happens in this candid video:

As a Christ-follower, it’s hard not to watch this and think of the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), where Jesus describes our neighbour as someone in need – naked, beaten and bleeding on the side of the road.

Pretty much like one of the people in this video – except in a far worse off condition and obviously not an actor!

When we read this parable most of us wouldn’t put ourselves in the shoes of the priest who walks by the beaten man. Just like we wouldn’t put ourselves in the shoes of the people who didn’t help in the video. Nope, that’s not us! We’re the Good Samaritan – the one who stops, bandages up the man’s wounds and takes him to a place of safety. Yup, that’s us. Or is it?

How willing are we really to love our neighbours – regardless of their race, class or religion? If we were one of those passers-by, what would the camera have captured? Would we have stopped, even if it cost us our time and our resources?

Watching this video suddenly makes it clear why Jesus went out of his way to tell the parable of the Good Samaritan. Clearly, us human beings need to be reminded of who our neighbours are and how to love them!

Our sinful nature means that without the love of God transforming our hearts, we’re all to quick to pass by on the other side of the road. To glance the crowd for that someone else who can help.

So – who is your neighbour? Who are the people without provision, power or protection in your neighbourhood, your workplace, your church congregation, or on your daily commute? Have you made an effort to get to know them? If not, why not start a conversation the next time you see them? Why not ask God to help guide you in how you can respond?

And the next time you see someone in need, ask yourself who do you want to be – the priest who walked past or the Good Samaritan who stopped?

(And, you never know, there might just be a camera somewhere nearby filming your decision 😉 )

In under four minutes, Ken Wytsma, Founder of The Justice Conference, gives us his description of biblical justice. Four minutes? That’s about the same time it takes most of us to make a cup of tea.

Going a bit deeper…

In the Bible, God is called ‘a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows’ (Psalm 68:4-5) – always seeking to protect and provide for those who are vulnerable to exploitation.

He shows himself as a God who cares for the vulnerable and marginalised people in the world, and he frequently calls his people to be his agents in this care. ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: Administer justice, show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the immigrant or the poor.’ (Zechariah 7:10- 11)

These are just two of over 2000 verses in the Bible which refer to issues of poverty and injustice!

The Bible may be full of references to justice but the idea of biblical justice is one that has been greatly misunderstood and debated over the centuries. The number of varying opinions out there can overwhelm us to the point where we stop grappling with what our understanding of it is.

If you’re in this boat, you’re not alone! A good place to begin is by reading what a few respected biblical commentators have to say about the topic.

Timothy Keller gives a great summary of his understanding of biblical justice here, in a short excerpt taken from his book, Generous Justice. A book we can highly recommend! For a list of some our other recommended reads, click here.

Did you know that one in every four people between the ages of 20 and 65 is unemployed in Cape Town? That’s a pretty scary statistic but you could be part of the solution. The 12 Campaign is an exciting opportunity to invest in the lives of 12 individuals and empower them with the skills and resources they need to build a better future. Watch the video:

Want to be a part of the change? Invest R1 850 per month for 12 months and enable 12 people to participate in the transformational Job Readiness Programme.

By signing up, you’ll receive a monthly mailer with a photo and an update on the individual benefiting directly from your contribution that month so you stay involved.

You’ll also be able to receive full tax benefits for the value of your contributions.